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THE Midlands provincial clean-up campaign was graced by the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo and Commerce and Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu, who took time to clean roads in Senga suburb in Gweru.

In his speech, the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs, Senator Larry Mavima said prior to this programme the province had faced the problem of dysentery and diarrhoea-related illnesses that saw a number of people passing on in most parts of the province with Gweru being the epicentre.

“Currently the province has managed to carry out 163 clean up campaigns coordinated under my office since the declaration, reducing the number of illegal waste dumps across the Province as a whole.

“The onus is now on us as residents and citizens of Midlands to desist from disposing solid waste at undesignated points and to clear the remaining illegal dumps. It is also the duty of our local authorities to ensure that every household has a litter bin and that litter bins are collected timeously and regularly to avoid waste build up at household level.

“The Province has identified 60 hot spot sites where special clean-ups shall be conducted today. Over and above the 60 designated sites, my office has instructed that all the Government officials should come out and clean-up their premises and this shall be the case with industry and commerce,” said Minister Mavima.

In Matabeleland North, Energy and Power Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo led the main clean-up exercise in Hwange town alongside Chiefs from Hwange District namely Chiefs Whange, Dingane, Nelukoba, Nekatambe, Mvuthu and Shana’s representative.

Dr Gumbo, who was on a tour of the Zimbabwe Power Station Units 7 and 8 expansion project site, took time to take part in the clean-up at Hwange Colliery Hospital.

They were joined by workers from various Government departments, Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services, Hwange Colliery Company and Zanu-PF party members among others led by the Environmental Management Agency.

Earlier on, the teams had cleaned the Hwange Bus Rank, Number 1 suburb and other areas.

In Victoria Falls, workers from tour operators and hotels, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and Victoria Falls Municipality led by the Mayor Councillor Somvelo Dlamini and Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube cleaned around the Central Business District, the Victoria Falls Border Post and Victoria Falls District Hospital.

Pupils from different schools from the seven districts also cleaned around their communities and along major roads.

In Gwanda, Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Cde Abednico Ncube led the clean up exercise.

Cde Ncube together with officials from ZRP, ZPCS, EMA, various Government departments and residents picked up litter in Phakama Suburb.

Addressing residents who gathered at Phakama Business Centre Cde Ncube urged residents to all participate in the clean up exercise.

“I have noticed that when we hold the clean ups Government workers are the ones who participate the most whereas it’s all residents who litter the streets. Let’s unite as a town and ensure that we clean our streets. The President declared that every first Friday of each calendar month is National Clean up Day.

During this day we are all expected to clean our surroundings.

“I urge all residents to participate in the clean up exercise. I am going to engage all local authorities in the province to ensure that we address the issue of littering. Gwanda Municipality can you ensure that municipality police intensify their patrols around the town to ensure that those who litter our streets are brought to book,” he said.

Residents took to the streets to the clean the town in order to mark the day while various Government departments and institutions cleaned their work premises. In Masvingo, the director in the office of the Minister of State for provincial affairs, Mr Kudakwashe Machako, led the clean-up exercise at Ndanga business centre in Zaka amid calls for rural people to maintain cleanliness.

Mr Machako who stood in for Masvingo Minister of State for provincial affairs, Cde Ezra Chadzamira, who is away on official duty, was joined by Zaka district administrator, Mr Ndeya Nyede, Environmental Management Agency (EMA) officials, other government officials and teachers from Chitonhora High School.

In a speech read on his behalf by Mr Machako, Minister Chadzamira challenged rural people to keep their environments clean so as to promote investment.

“As rural communities I urge you to clean your environments. Schools and business centres as well as your homes should always be clean. This will attract investment, especially now when we have embarked on devolving our economy,” said Minister Chadzamira.